“What’s wrong, my lord?”

Isla sensed the thin, condensed energy fluctuating around Raven and asked in a low voice. Raven was jolted to his senses at Isla’s words and quickly withdrew his spirit.

He was currently hosting a dinner party, so he could not become aggravated in front of everyone.

“That man… Observe him very carefully, Elkin. You must not let him escape your eyes.”

Raven spoke in a quiet, icy voice.

“I will obey your orders.”

Isla bowed his head. He noticed that there was something unusual going on. He proceeded to carefully examine the man that had caused Raven to rouse an acrimonious spirit.

Meanwhile, Rollo and Carlin secretly exchanged glances after noticing that the White Dragon’s Spirit had turned towards them for a moment.

‘What should we do? Did he notice us?’

‘No, I don’t think it was headed towards us.’

The two people were a little stupefied that they had not been the recipients. They were poised to flee at a moment’s notice.

It was clear that the intense spirit was aimed towards someone else besides them.

‘It’s true. What’s going on? The Cavalier of Valvas seems to be paying attention to someone else as well.’

‘You are right. Is there anyone else here besides us?’

Carlin looked around with a carefree expression. However, he could not find anything out of the ordinary.

‘First, hide your presence as much as possible. Get as close as you can using the girl and then we will strike at once.’

The two quickly regained their composure and turned towards Baltai with their original expressions.

“Huh?”

They frowned.

Baltai was supposed to slowly ease Luna Seyrod into introducing them to Duke Pendragon, but he was standing frozen while soaked in cold sweat.

‘What the fuck is wrong with him?’

Rollo slipped to his side and poked Baltai in the side with his elbow. He finally came back to his senses.

“Excuse me, Sir Baltai? Shouldn’t you give your greetings to the governor along with Lady Seyrod?”

“Well, y, yes. B, but…”

Baltai kept trembling in his place without moving a step.

‘This fucking moron…!’

Rollo was engulfed in the urge to kill the bastard, but Carlin stopped him with a glance. Baltai’s reaction made it clear.

The spirit from a moment ago seemed to have been aimed towards Baltai.

‘Leave him behind.’

Rollo read Carlin’s subtle gestures and turned to Luna with a bright smile.

“Excuse me, Lady Seyrod! Shouldn’t you say hello to the governor? I would also like to give my greetings to the governor-general! He is famous throughout the entire empire! What do you think, Mister Carlin?”

“It is a rare opportunity. It would be a great favor to me as well.”

Luna nodded quietly when both of them encouraged her.

“Ah… Let’s do that.”

Luna’s face had heated up and her heart started beating non-stop after she saw the person deeply rooted in her heart.

She was glad she had made the trip. Just seeing him made her happy and satisfied. Although the happiness might disappear when she greeted him, she felt ecstatic in this moment.

“E, excuse me, Lady Seyrod? I have a sudden stomach ache…”

Baltai stepped back with a blue face. His feet moved restlessly. Luna did not give him a glance and responded while keeping her gaze fixated on Raven.

“That is fine. I will introduce him to you later.”

“T, thank you. Then excuse me…”

Baltai hastily moved backwards.

Isla kept his gaze on Baltai while slowly moving his steps along.

‘As expected…’

Carlin’s eyes shone coldly.

He did not know the reason, but it was clear that Duke Pendragon was familiar with Toban Baltai. The young duke’s attention was solely focused on Baltai, and it was very hostile. The fact that he would send his escort to follow Baltai proved the point.

‘The gods are helping us.’

But Carlin never let his guard down. He had scrutinized over everything that Duke Pendragon had been involved in so far in order to make today’s assassination succeed.

He knew of Raven’s victory over the Nameless Necromancer’s alter ego in the Ancona Forest, his duel with Toleo Arangis in Leus, and even his slaughtering of dozens of mercenaries in the Great Territory of Sisak.

Alan Pendragon had already reached the apex as a swordmaster.

Even if one searched the entire empire, there would be less than ten opponents who could defeat Alan Pendragon within swordsmanship. In addition, although Carlin had only felt it for a moment, he had never felt such an immense spirit before. He had succeeded in dozens of assassinations thus far, and from his experience, he thought that even the Nameless Necromancer would not be able to bear the full brunt of the spirit.

‘This will be my capstone assassination…’

Carlin relaxed the muscles of his body as he walked behind Luna. His opponent would surely notice even the tiniest of spirit or malicious intent.

“Your excellency… Duke Pendragon…”

Luna neared Raven and called out in a trembling voice.

“Lady Seyrod, what brings you here?’

Raven had all his attention focused on Baltai, hence he responded in a blunt voice. Luna felt a lump in her chest, but she forced herself to smile.

“We were able to export the copper from the Seyrod Territory into the south so I thought I would stop by. Although it is a bit late, I sincerely congratulate you on your appointment as governor-general of Leus.”

“I see. Thank you anyways. But who are these two?”

“Ah, they are the servant and the escort who came with me. They were assigned to me by the one who accompanied me here. They tagged along because they wanted to give their greetings to you.”

Luna hurriedly introduced Rollo and Carlin. She forced back the tears that threatened to overflow. The two people stepped forward.

The distance between them and Raven was about three steps.

“Nice to meet you! Your excellency Duke Pendragon! My name is Rollo! It is such an honor to finally meet you like this!”

“I am Carlin. I have always admired you as a knight. It is a great honor to greet you.”

They spoke before bowing deeply at the same time.

“Good to meet you. By the way, Lady Seyrod, what happened to the person who was just with…”

Raven carelessly received the greetings of the two before changing the topic.

It was then.

Woosh!

With their heads bowed, the two people instantly rushed at Raven like a spring.

“Ah…!”

A dark green glow shot towards Raven from the left and the right along with Luna’s startled voice.

Raven’s body blurred.

The two green daggers blocked Raven’s movement and drew a dark green curve in the air, moving like living snakes.

Clang!

“Keuk!”

Raven blocked Carlin’s dagger after drawing his own dagger from the waist.

Keeeeeukk.

A gruesome sound was made as the two daggers grasped each other. The daggers had stopped right in front of Raven’s neck. However, Raven missed Rollo, who had dug in from the bottom.

“Kyah…!”

An image was clearly etched into Raven’s eyes. Rollo was pushing the dark, green dagger towards his left chest with eyes filled with madness and enmity.

In that moment, Raven knew intuitively.

No matter what he did, he would not be able to block the dagger, and that he might actually die even with the power of the Troll King.

Nevertheless, Raven instinctively stretched his left hand. He stretched out his hand even though he knew that the dagger emitting evil energy would completely tear through the palm of his hand before stabbing him in the heart.

Crunch!

The gruesome sound of flesh crackling and bone breaking resounded. However, Raven did not feel pain in his hands, rather, he felt a heavy shock.

His left hand was supporting someone’s small back.

“…..!”

Carlin displayed shock at the unexpected. As a result, the force of the hand that was clashing against Raven’s dagger lessened.

Woosh!

Not missing the chance, Raven slanted his dagger and stabbed the opponent in the throat.

Stab.

The dagger slid gently into Carlin’s neck and came back out.

Carlin fell backwards while spewing blood from his mouth and throat, but Raven ignored him and swung his dagger after stepping forward.

“Keakk!”

Rollo’s small body fell to the floor with a split neck and chest.

“Uahhhh!”

Viscount Moraine and the knights of the 7th regiment rushed forward as screaming erupted everywhere.

“What the… Protect the governor general and get these bastards!”

The entire event had transpired in a moment’s time, so Viscount Moraine was not able to take any actions during the attack, but he quickly grasped the situation and issued an order.

The soldiers surrounded the two men who were bleeding on the floor.

Raven finally turned to the one who had stepped in front of him.

“…..!”

He became horrified.

“Luna…?”

Luna knelt on the spot while bleeding from the mouth, the green dagger embedded in her chest.

Raven rushed to help her.

“Get it together! Lady Seyrod! Luna! Luna!”

The cool-headed man could no longer be found. Raven frantically put his arms around her and examined her condition. The dagger had ripped into her small chest. It flickered with a strange, green light.

“I, I… I didn’t…. know…”

Luna stammered with tears in her eyes as she gurgled out bright red blood. Raven shook his head while rubbing her blood-stained face.

“I know! It’s not your fault. Keu…”

Raven grinded his teeth. A sudden thought came into his head and he swung his head.

“Leon! Bring my shield!”

Maybe the Shield of Healing could save her.

“Ye, yes!”

Leon rushed to the office.

“I, I’m sorry… I, I… I just wanted… to see you…”

Luna was smiling as she spoke with difficulty.

“……”

Raven could not say anything. He silently looked down at her with trembling eyes.

He did not know love.

He had never truly loved.

Lindsay, Soldrake, he had never thought of them as subjects of love. Even more so, the feelings he had for Luna was literally nonexistent.

However, the delicate girl was dying on his behalf - a girl that he had no emotions for.

She was apologizing with a smile.

Raven was perplexed.

One side of his chest began to ache.

Why was she smiling in such a way towards him?

Why was the smile so heartbreaking?

“Keuk…”

Eventually, hot tears flowed down from Raven’s eyes.

“I… I am sorry. I… You…”

Raven could not continue.

Luna shook her head with difficulty. A bright smile was on her face.

“Nam…e…”

Luna raised her delicate, blood-stained hands, and Raven hurriedly grabbed them.

Her trembling hands moved little by little, and it finally touched Raven’s face.

“My name… Please…. Call… my… name…”

“…Luna…. Luna…”

Raven attempted to open his tear-soaked eyes and muttered her name.

“Thank yo…u…. I loved….”

Luna’s head dropped with a smile.

The smile of the dead girl was much brighter and more beautiful compared to when she was alive.

“Luna…”

The moment he saw the smile beyond his hazy vision, Raven finally realized.

It was a human smile that knew the noble value of love.

It was a feeling he had never known as Raven Valt, a feeling he had not known in his days as Alan pendragon.

Today, Raven truly saw a side of the human that he had never known before.